It couldn't all come crashing to a typical Northeast Ohio disappointing end. Not with 10 straight wins to get here. Not with 22 comeback wins, 11 walk-off victories and six of those walk-off home runs, right?

As if we know another way around here.

Playing in their first wild-card playoff game, the Indians teased fans with hits and runners and the Tampa Bay Rays kept pouring water on any hint of momentum-catching fire. In front of 43,579 — the third sellout of the season — Cleveland lost 4-0 to Tampa Bay.

Rally towels turned into crying towels, and familiar talk of next year already began. Still, it was a sip of the postseason, which is better than the usual.

The Indians season ended. The Rays head to Boston to take on the Red Sox in the American League Division Series.

"I think they've been dying for a game like this," Indians first-year manager Terry Francona said of starved Tribe fans. "They've wanted it so bad.

"I wish we could've given them a better game. The support was fantastic. ... It was awesome to see how it can be, though."

Of course, many fans stayed ... hanging on to hope that Cleveland would work its magic again. Francona's wand disappeared. Fall will turn to winter to spring training now.

Perhaps, though, Francona has something to build for next year. Who would have thought the Indians would go from 90-something loser to 90-something winner in a season? It was the eighth-best turnaround in baseball history for a manager in his initial season.

The first inning could not have started — and ended — better for the Indians. Rookie Danny Salazar was dealing and sat the Rays down in order. He hit 98 on the radar to whiff Wil Myers, and with a standing ovation, he hit 99 to fan James Loney on three pitches for the final out.

The 23-year-old from the Dominican Republic hit 100 mph in the second inning when Ben Zobrist fouled out to Lonnie Chisenhall at third.

In a game everyone knew would be close with few runs, the Indians left nine runners on base, six in scoring position. Each times runners were stranded, it was like trying to gather water in your hands to fill a bucket.

"We knew what we were getting in to," Francona said. "They outplayed us. We were excited to play. Now we lost, and that hurts."

With two outs in the second, Ryan Raburn doubled to the gap in left-center. Against a pitcher like Alex Cobb (2.76 ERA), every runner in scoring position counts. Asdrubal Cabrera left him there with a fly out to center to end the inning. The night would get worse for Cabrera.

Page 2 of 2 - And it hurt more in the third. Rays designated hitter Delmon Young sat on Salazar's first-pitch — a 95 mph meatball over the heart of the plate — and drilled it 414 feet over the high wall in left for a 1-0 lead.

Salazar started to fizzle out in the fourth. After striking out Myers, this time looking, James Loney and Evan Longoria hit back-to-back singles. Then with two outs, Desmond Jennings ripped a double past Chisenhall at third. The ball took long enough to trickle to the wall that Loney and Longoria both scored. The Rays led 3-0.

Throughout the night, Cleveland's lineup would tease fans. A couple hits here, a couple runners there ... it was like finding a mirage in a desert.

"We had our share of hits and we had our share of opportunities," Francona said. "When we had men on base and the stadium got louder, (Cobb) took something off his pitches. ... He took the sting out of our bats by changing speeds."

When it seemed like the Tribe could get back in the game — and Progressive Field bursting at its seams with rally towels — Cabrera sucked the life out of it. He hit into a 3-6-1, bases-loaded double play to end the fourth.

Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn and Cabrera, three of the highest-paid players with a combined $24.5 million in salary, each left five guys on base. They were a combined 0-for-12 with five strikeouts.

The top of the order would disappoint in the seventh as well. Yan Gomes and Chisenhall put together consecutive singles with one out. Bourn flew out, and Swisher took three huge hacks on three pitches and the inning ended.

Chisenhall struck out to end the game. The Rays celebrated on the middle of the field. The Indians?